A1C test

If home blood glucose monitoring is like a snapshot, A1C testing, handled by a lab, is more like a full-length movie; it provides an average of your blood glucose levels over a period of two to three months by measuring how much glucose has combined with the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in your red blood cells. For people who have not undergone any major changes in their lifestyle or diabetes regimen, A1C tests offer an assessment of long-term blood glucose control. A normal reading would be 4 to 6; in people with diabetes, the target is below 7.

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A terrific result does not necessarily mean that your blood glucose has been continuously under control; people with highs and lows that balance each other out could also get a great reading. This is why daily blood glucose readings are so important. A reading that falls between 7 and 8 for more than six months, or a reading over 8, suggests that the treatment plan needs to be changed.